Collins English-English Dictionary

quarter ['kwɔːtə]

1. 1. n fourth the fraction equal to one divided by four (1/4)

2. 2. n one of four equal or nearly equal parts of an object, quantity, amount, etc

3. 3. n [US and Canadian] a quarter of a dollar; 25-cent piece

4. 4. n a unit of weight equal to a quarter of a hundredweight. 1 US quarter is equal to 25 pounds; 1 Brit quarter is equal to 28 pounds

5. 5. n short for quarter-hour

6. 6. n a fourth part of a year; three months

7. 7. n [Astronomy] one fourth of the moon's period of revolution around the earth

8. 8. n either of two phases of the moon, first quarter or last quarter when half of the lighted surface is visible from the earth

9. 9. n [Spoken] a unit of weight equal to a quarter of a pound or 4 ounces

10. 10. n [Brit] a unit of capacity for grain, etc, usually equal to 8 U.K. bushels

11. 11. n [sport] one of the four periods into which certain games are divided

12. 12. n [nautical] the part of a vessel's side towards the stern, usually aft of the aftermost mast

    the port quarter

13. 13. n [nautical] the general direction along the water in the quadrant between the beam of a vessel and its stern

    the wind was from the port quarter

14. 14. n a region or district of a town or city

    the Spanish quarter

15. 15. n a region, direction, or point of the compass

16. 16. n [sometimes plural] an unspecified person or group of people

    to get word from the highest quarter

17. 17. n mercy or pity, as shown to a defeated opponent (esp in the phrases ask for or give quarter)

18. 18. n any of the four limbs, including the adjacent parts, of the carcass of a quadruped or bird

    a hind quarter of beef

19. 19. n [vet science] the side part of the wall of a horse's hoof

20. 20. n the part of a shoe or boot covering the heel and joining the vamp

21. 21. n [heraldry] one of four more or less equal quadrants into which a shield may be divided

22. 22. n short for quartermaster

23. 23. vt. [Military] [Slang] [tr] to divide into four equal or nearly equal parts

24. 24. vt. [tr] to divide into any number of parts

25. 25. vt. [tr] (esp formerly) to dismember (a human body)

    to be drawn and quartered

26. 26. vt. to billet or be billeted in lodgings, esp (of military personnel) in civilian lodgings

27. 27. vi. [intr] (of gun dogs or hounds) to range over an area of ground in search of game or the scent of quarry

28. 28. vi. [intr] [nautical] (of the wind) to blow onto a vessel's quarter

    the wind began to quarter

29. 29. vt. [tr] [heraldry] to divide (a shield) into four separate bearings with a cross

30. 30. vt. to place (one set of arms) in diagonally opposite quarters to another

31. 31. adj being or consisting of one of four equal parts

    a quarter pound of butter

32. 32. adj See also quarters

33. 33. adj [Etymology] C13: from Old French quartier, from Latin quartarius a fourth part, from quartus fourth